ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences
potentially traumatic events that occur before age 18
Understanding the lasting impact of childhood adversity starts with awareness.
The ACE survey asks adults about ten specific childhood experiences:
Abuse
Neglect
Household challenges
Your ACE score is simply the number of these experiences you had. A score of 0 means none; a score of 10 means all categories were present.
These aren’t just statistics—they represent real experiences that shaped real lives.
The Science
Why Childhood Matters
Childhood experiences literally rewire the developing brain.
The ACE Study—a groundbreaking collaboration between the CDC and Kaiser Permanente—revealed something extraordinary: childhood experiences don’t just affect us emotionally, they change us biologically.
Here’s what happens: When children face repeated trauma, their stress response system goes into overdrive. This toxic stress disrupts brain architecture and organ development, weakening the body’s defense against disease.
The connection is clear and measurable:
- Higher ACE scores = higher risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes
- Higher ACE scores = increased likelihood of depression, anxiety, addiction
- Higher ACE scores = greater challenges in school and work
The landmark finding: Certain childhood experiences are major risk factors for the leading causes of illness and death in America.
The Reality for Arizona Families
Arizona faces a crisis hiding in plain sight. 57.5% of Arizona adults have experienced at least one ACE—that’s more than half of everyone you pass on the street, work with, or sit next to at your child’s school.
Arizona vs. National Stats
Children with 2+ ACEs
Arizona Average
31.1%
National Average
22.6%
Teens (12-17) with 2+ ACEs
Arizona Average
44.4%
National Average
30.5%
What this means for our state:
- More children struggling in school
- Higher healthcare costs
- Increased mental health needs
- Greater economic challenges
- Cycles of trauma affecting entire families
The demographics tell a story: ACEs are tied to income level, family structure, ethnicity, insurance status, and educational attainment. This isn’t happening to “other people”—it’s happening in every community across Arizona.
We can't change what happened, we can change what happens next.
The Resilience Empowerment Project was created because we believe change is possible
The science of hope: Our brains remain capable of change throughout our lives. With the right support, people with high ACE scores can and do thrive.